A Cultural Powerhouse

Cai Qun， a 34-year-old woman in rural Guizhou， is the boss of a batik and embroidery company that employs more than 300 embroiderers like her. The companys products are even sold to a number of foreign countries such as the United States， South Korea and Malaysia. Batik embroidery is a special technique of the Miao ethnic group and was included on Chinas National Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2006.

Cais peers， including businessmen， artists， scholars and even tourists， are pushing Chinas cultural products to the rest of the world， as they are appreciative of and maybe even enamored by Chinese culture.

China is a nation filled with rich heritage and host to a colorful civilization； simultaneously it is also an emerging economy in the modern world. The culture inherited from bygone times has spread into modern civilization， with the invention of many great products. These are being exported to meet demand from international consumers.

According to a report released by UNESCO in March， China exported $60.1 billion worth of cultural products in 2013， higher than the United States $27.9 billion， which ranked second.

As far as manufacturers and traders are concerned， they might be most interested in the profits procured through cultural products， but for the international community， they help bridge the gap to better understand Chinese culture and thinking. For China， these products can showcase the diversity and harmony of Chinese culture as well as the diligence of its people.

The Chinese Government is committed to promoting the export of cultural products. The Ministry of Commerce has formulated a series of policies to create incentives for the growth of cultural product exports. Trade in arts and crafts， books， videos and music is rising swiftly. Chinas cultural exchanges with other countries are also flourishing.

However， there is still a gap between China and developed countries in terms of global cultural influence. This is irreconcilable with Chinas status as an ancient civilization and as the second largest economy in the world.

Chinas cultural industry has long been plagued by problems such as a lack of recognizable brands， international vision， human resources and funding. This has resulted in it being relatively outpaced by developed economies.

The good news is that the export of Chinas cultural products is maintaining its momentum， internationally wellknown brands are taking shape， and shortages of talent and funding are no longer insurmountable obstacles. Against this backdrop， Chinas cultural products will continue to be exported on a large scale—this is an irreversible trend.